King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth since 1674, Grand Marshal of the Crown since 1665, Field Hetman of the Crown since 1666, Grand Hetman of the Crown since 1668. His military talent ensured peace at the southern borders of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth for a long time.

- He participated in wars against Bohdan Khmelnytsky, in particular, Siege of Zamoscia (1648), Battles of Zboriv and Berestechko where he was badly wounded to the head and was nearly captured by Tatars.

- He resisted Ukrainian Hetman Petro Doroshenko’s state development plans.

- In 1684, he renewed the Cossack Host in Right-bank Ukraine and supported hetmans Ostap Hohol, Stefan Kunicki, Andrii Mohyla, Hryhorii Hryshko, Samiilo Samus and Colonel Semen Paliy during the last quarter of the 17th century.

- He granted Cossacks permission to settle in Dymer Starostwo and pay certain sums from the crown treasury.

- In 1686, he signed the Treaty of Perpetual Peace with the Muscovy, thus formalising the division of Ukraine.

The prime objective of his external policy was to regain Right-bank Ukraine from the Ottoman Empire, which would allow to improve situation in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth due to economic and military potential of Ukrainian lands. At that time, Right-bank Ukraine became the key element of relations between the Muscovy, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Ottoman Empire and the Crimean Khanate that was dependent on them.